Flapper flush valves



July 3l, 1956 J, E, SVABEK, JR" ErAL 2,756,437

FLAPPER FLUSH VALVES Filed May 21, 1954 nited States Patent O FLAPPER FLUSH vALvES John E. Svabek, Jr., Chicago, Carl R. Stone, lombard, and Edward G. Schmidt, La Grange, lli., assignors to Crane Co., Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Applicaon lliay 21, 1954, Serial No. 431,435

3 Claims. (Cl. 4-57) This invention relates generally to valves, and, more particularly, it concerns discharge type of valves such as the outlet valves employed for toilet bowl ush tanks or the like.

The invention is especially applicable to what is termed flapper type valves and when so applied it constitutes an improvement over co-pending patent application Serial No. 401,849, filed January 4, 1954. That application concerns the use of an especially lightweight float construction for ilapper type valve closures and particularly recommends a sealed cellular construction of foam type or plastic, such as foam polystyrene. According to that application, a oat element of proper construction is secured to the llexible dapper member by cementing although it is suggested that other suitable means not speciiied might be employed.

The present invention is directed to improved means for securing the iloat member to a closure especially of the apper type and provides for a specially formed closure which is adapted to receive the oat in interengaged relation for retention thereof. More particularly, the closure is shaped to form a cavity of substantial proportions into which the float element is slipped in assembly, the cavity being so shaped as to retain the float element when inserted and being deformable to permit such introduction.

The invention will be more easily appreciated by proceeding with the following description read in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a sectional assembly View of a valve constructed in accordance With the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 shows a fragmentary portion of the valve in which a modified float is employed.

Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary portion of another modied form of the valve.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to Figs. l and 2, the numeral l designates a fragmentary portion of a ush tank as used with toilet bowls or the like, the tank being provided with a ported seat 17, which may either be integral with the floor of the tank, or as illustrated it may be used on a ported seat member 3 which forms an outlet through the bottom of the tank. The tank is also provided with the usual overow means, in this instance, comprising the tube 5 attached to the seat member 3 and communicating with the port or ow passage 7 of the seat member through the recessed side extension 9 thereof. Attached for swinging movement to any suitable part of the tank, and here shown attached to the seat member 3 thereof, is a apper member generally designated 1'1. The latter member comprises a closure portion 13 including an annular at portion 1S for fluid sealing contact with the top of the valve seat 17 in the closed valve position. The front of the seat contacting portion is provided with a button-like projection 19 to which is connected a clip 2G attached in turn to a flexible chain 2l for lifting actua- Patented July 31, 1956 tion of the dapper member by means of the usual tank operating handle and lever (not shown).

Extending from the rear of the closure portion and preferably along each side of the overow tube 5 is an attachment portion 23, here illustrated as comprising a pair of spaced arms 25 and a cross-piece or end connecting element 26 at the rear thereof extending beyond the overow tube 5 as shown. The latter piece is centrally recessed or apertured at `27 for reception of a buttonlike formation 29 of a positioning or mounting means 31 for connection of the llapper member to the tank or more particularly to the ported seat member 3 thereof'. It will be understood that the recessed crossbar 26 is resiliently slipped over this button formation in mounting of the ilapper member, the portion around the recess stretching or distorting for effecting admission of the large buttonhead as shown in Fig. 1. The apper member is thus securely fastened for swinging movement into open and closed positions, the flapper member being formed of rubber or other exible material or at least having flexible arms to permit such described movement of the valve member. ln other instances (not shown) similar flapper members may be pivotally mounted for movement in the vertical direction, in which cases, the arm portions of the closure member need not flex for this movement, but may be constructed of other material. The apper member of this invention is preferably constructed of resilient material throughout, however. To eliminate sidewise movement or rotation of the iiapper member 1l about the point of attachment and for the purpose of keeping the closure portion 13 in substantial alignment with the ported valve seat for proper operation and uninterrupted service, the positioning means 3l is elongated near the top including the button 29 thereof. The recess 27 of the apper member is correspondingly elongated for this purpose. The mounting of an identical closure member up to the present point of description is more specifically treated in and forms a part of the subject matter of co-pending application Serial No. 397,456, tiled December l0, 1953. Other methods of mounting and positioning the flapper member for swinging movement both with and without special provisions for preventing sidewise movement are covered in the same application and also in co-pending application Serial No. 344,506, filed March 25, 1953, to which attention is directed. The particular method of mounting the flapper member is therefore not essential to the present invention so long as swinging movement of the member is effected by the construction. The closure member may also be attached to the overow tube, as indicated by the above co-pending applications, or to some `otherpart yof the ush tank as for instance a post attached to or extending from the floor of the tank. The present invention therefore contemplates different specificmodes of mounting the apper member within the ush tank which does not form part of the actual invention.

As pointed out before, the invention pertains to improved means for securing or attaching a lloat element or portion 4l of lightweight sealed cellular construction which is substantially impervious to fluid as specified in co-pending application Serial No. 401,849 of which this is an improvement.

Therefore, according to the preferred form of the invention, the float element is of generally conical or tapered form and adapted to be received within a specially formed cavity or recess 43 in the flapper member. This recess is formed by offsetting or raising the closure portion 'i3 upwardly at 44 to any desired height to form a flat topped central cap portion 45 extending over the top of the float and enclosing and sealing the center of the seat contacting portion 15. Projecting downwardly from the periphery of this offset or upwardly extending ICS portion isl an annular depending skirt portion 47 forming conjunctively with the inner walls of the offset an inclined surface 49 of downwardly converging frusto-conical form. A This inturned formation somewhat restricts or reduces the opening into the pocket or cavity as can be plainly seen. TheA dimensions of the cavity in the direction of the diameter is such as to snugly receive and conform to the enlarged end portion 51 of the oat member with its frusto-conicai surface S2.

The lower part of the skirt isv thickened or inwardly turned at its bottommost point to form an annular lip or bead 53, preferably presenting an upper at surface or shoulder 54. The mouth or entrance to the cavity isy thus further restricted or reduced. In this form', the float member is annularly grooved at 56 so as to receive the lip portion therewithin in mounted relation with the iiapper, the fiat surface 57 of the groove contacting lthe shoulder 54. This in conjunction with the internal sloping surface 49 of the cavity presents positive means'for retaining the float element in position Within the cavity.

The ilapper member is preferably of one-piece construction of rubber or the like, but essential to this invention is that the sides of the cavity at least be constructed of resilient material. The top of the cavity or cap portion 4S may therefore be of non-flexible material such as hard rubber.

The oat element is very easily mounted within the receiving portion of the apper member by mere stretching of the lip portion and side walls of the latter and inserting the enlarged end of the oat therewithin. The lip easily snaps within the annular groove of the iioat when in proper position and prevents it from working loose during operation. The float may of course be as easily removed by the reverse process.

Another feature of this form of the invention is that the oat is stepped or extends outwardly a greater distance immediately below the groove than it does immediately thereabove so as to form a continuous smooth conical surface in continuance of the outer surface of the skirt portion. This arrangement prevents possible lodging of an otherwise exposed bottom surface of the skirt on the edge of the valve seat 11 resulting in improper closing or sticking of the valve in an open position. For the sake of illustration, however, Fig. 3 shows the use of an alternate form of float element in which this feature has been eliminated, the float merely being relieved or reduced at 59 presenting the shoulder 57 for shouldered engagement with the upper annular surface 54 of the skirt.

Although it is preferred to employ the lip 53 or similar inwardly directed portion, such use is not absolutely necessary since the resilient skirt portion also engages the side of the tapered float for retention during usual working conditions. This skirt, of course, may extend farther down along the float element than is indicated in Fig. l for greater contact and retention. Moreover, the cavity need not necessarily extend above the seat contacting portion of the iiapper member which in this case may be completely flat across they entire top with the float element being retained entirely within the depending skirt portion. Or, on the other hand, the cavity may be formed entirely in a raised position of greater height with no depending skirt employed at all, in which case the lip portion, if used, may be an extension of the bottom surface portion of the ilapper member around the periphery of the cavity.

In instances in which no lip portion is provided and to some extent when one is provided, there is some tendency for the oat element to work out of the cavity during operation as a result of water pressure exerted on the t'op of the ilappertendjng to deflect or press in the top at the center in combination with the exing of the latter during the opening movement when the chain is pulled, to some extent spreading or opening the bottom of the skirt portion. Fig. 4 shows` such a receiving portion of they liapper member in which no lip or shoulder is used and in which the tendency of the float element to work out during operation is prevented by the use of preferably an aluminum disc or reinforcing plate 62 which is molded or otherwise positioned across the top of the cavity or imbedded in the top of the closure portion. This construction has also produced excellent results along with that of Pig. 1, although it appears to be somewhat more expensive. The aluminum disc serves as reinforcement for preventing flexure of the central spanning portion of the closure and consequent pressing out of the float during valve opening. Obviously, other means of strengthening this portion or producing stiffness thereof Ymay be employed such as the use of ribs arranged in various Ways with or without metal rods, or by the use of a suitable material, for instance. Employment of a non-ilexible material for the top of the cavity cap portion has already been suggested in connection with the Fig. l form. Such` mateiial may of course be employed in other forms as well for stiflening` action.

Terms such as upwardly or depending are of course'relative and not to be construedin a narrow sense,

inasmuch as valves employing the present invention may l. In a valve structure having a port into whichV liquidl is owable and a seat surface'around the port, a closure member mounted for swingingimovement into the open and closed positions, said closure member comprising a peripheral portion extending over and engaging the top of the seat surface in the closed valve position and an integral central portion closing and sealing the center of the peripheral portion, said central portion being formed into a pocket open at the bottom and solid across the top, said pocket having a frusto-conical side vsurface extending from at least adjacent the bottom of the pocket substantially the entire extent of the side of the pocket, said frusto-conical side surface converging towards the bottom, a substantially liquid impervious rigid iioat element received within the open pocket, said'float element being shaped to conform to the inside conguration of the pocket in relatively snug reception therewithin substantially filling the entire pocket, said float element having a frusto-conical surface engaging the entire frustoconical surface of the said pocket whereby to retain the oat element in substantially firm abutting contact against the` top of the pocket, said frusto-conical surfaces of the Y pocket and iioat element engaging each other in contin` nous annular contact providing liquid sealing therearound against the introduction of liquid between the float element and pocket, the portion of said closure member forming the sidev of Vthe pocket being of material such as resilient rubber deformable for the insertion of the said float means within the said pocket. A

2. ln a valve structure having a port into which liquid is owable and a seat surface around the por-t, a closure member mounted for swinging movement into the open and closed positions, said closure member comprising a peripheral portion extending over and engaging the top of the seat surface in the closed valve position and an integral central portion closing and sealing the Vcen-L ter of the peripheral portion, said central portion being formed into a pocket open. at the bottom and solidV across the top, said pocket having a frusto-conical side surface portion converging towards the bottom and producing a reduced annular opening into the pocket, said central portion having an inwardly directed annular portion at the bottom of the pocket to-further reduce the opening in the bottom, a substantially liquid impervious float` element received within the `open pocket;y said oat element being shaped to kconform to the inside configurationV of the pocket for relatively snugv reception therewithin to ll the entire pocket, said oat element having a frustoconical surface engaging substantially the entire frustoconical surface portion of the pocket whereby to retain the oat element in abutting contact with the closed top of the pocket, said float element being in substantially continuous contact with the side limits of the pocket from the inwardly directed annular portion to substantially the upper limits of the side converging with the said top of the pocket, said oat element being relieved for the inwardly directed annular portion of the closure member, said oat element having surface means for continuous engagement with the said inwardly directed annular portion of the closure member, said closure member being at least partly deformable for insertion of the oat means within the said pocket.

3. In a valve structure having a port into which liquid is owable and a seat surface around the port, a closure member mounted for swinging movement into the open and closed positions, said closure member comprising a peripheral portion extending over and engaging the top of the seat surface in the closed valve position and an integral central portion closing and sealing the center of the peripheral portion, said central portion being formed into a pocket open at the bottom and solid across the top, said pocket having a truste-conical side surface converging towards the bottom to eiect a reduced opening into the pocket, said central portion having an inwardly directed annular portion at the bottom of the pocket to further reduce the opening into the pocket, said frusto-conical side surface of the said pocket eX- for engagement with the inwardly directed annular portion of the closure member, said oat element having surface means engaging the inwardly directed annular portion of the closure member in substantial liquid sealed relation therewith, the portion of said closure member forming the top of the pocket being relatively inflexible while the portion forming the side of the pocket being of flexible, resilient material deformable for insertion of the float means within the said pocket.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,112,294 Kepler Sept. 29, 1914 1,315,331 Richter Sept: 9, 1919 1,744,491 Mullen Jan. 21, 1930 1,975,421 Heath Oct. 2, 1934 2,014,600 Wayne Sept. 17, 1935 2,436,035 Cheiten Feb. 17, 1948 2,598,967 Bennett lune 3, 1952 

